About SIA WG

The GIZ Working Group on Sustainable Industrial Areas (SIA) was established in 2008. The SIA Working Group is composed of GIZ representatives from partner countries and independent experts involved in SIA-related projects. The SIA WG currently consists of 12 members, representing GIZ projects working in 7 countries worldwide. While having its origins in Asia the SIA WG also welcomed within the last years more and more member projects on a global scope, such as from the MENA region and Central America. However, the group is open for all regions.

Figure 1: SIA Working Group Meeting 2010 in Bangkok

Figure 2: SIA Working Group Meeting 2013 in India

Figure 3: SIA Working Group Meeting 2015 in Mexico

Figure 4: SIA Working Group Meeting 2017 in Morocco

Figure 5: SIA Working Group Meeting 2018 in Cairo

The group‘s general objectives comprise:

Contribution to improved result orientation by the GIZ’s projects related to the concept of sustainable industrial areas across the globe, collecting success factors, models and approaches as well as a regular updating on recent international developments in SIA to the working group and GIZ.

Promoting a joint, transnational learning from experience amongst GIZ experts through systematic exchange of project experience, documentation and examples of best practice.

Development of regional and sectoral aspects of GIZ's portfolio and range of services, through active promotion of the SIA approach in the partner countries and in GIZ itself, through support for the assignment of new projects to GIZ, and through active networking with relevant institutions and the private sector.

Extend support for strengthening the technical and advisory capacities of GIZ staff and counterparts from GIZ headquarter in Germany.

Specific objectives of the working group comprise:

To facilitate and support the networking of projects and experts dealing with SIA

To ensure efficient management and dissemination of SIA knowledge accumulated in GIZ

To act as an advisory group on SIA for GIZ projects

To provide a pool of experts on SIA

To promote the SIA approach and the acquisition of related projects for GIZ

Related current group activities comprise:

Compilation and publication of the SIA Tool Box.

Regular presentation of the Working Group's activities and topics to GIZ and the SIA community.

Continuous identification of project options, coordination of mutual interests in projects and development of project ideas and proposals, joint development of knowledge products.

Elaboration of Guidelines for Sustainable Industrial Areas.

Organization of the annual International Conference on issues of Sustainable Industrial Areas.

Outreach to international organizations such as UNIDO and the World Bank/IFC on the development of international SIA standard/ framework to promote an internationally accepted definition of SIA.

GIZ creates cross-border or sector networks by linking projects which share a common theme. These networks provide a platform for the organised exchange of sector-related know-how. The SIA Working Group was established within the TUEWAS (Transport, Umwelt, Energie, Wasser in Asien) sector network on transport, environment, energy and water.